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Commanders Target Star Wide Receiver Early In 2026 Nfl Mock Draft

Bonisiwe Shabane
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commanders target star wide receiver early in 2026 nfl mock draft

Regardless of what occurs between the Washington Commanders and Terry McLaurin, you can bet that adding a wide receiver will be a top priority for general manager Adam Peters next offseason. McLaurin and the Commanders remain locked in a contract standoff just over two weeks before the start of the regular season. While there has been movement in getting McLaurin back onto the practice field, the same can't be said for contract talks. The two sides remain far apart. McLaurin, who turns 30 next month, aims to become one of the NFL's highest-paid receivers, mirroring the contract DK Metcalf recently signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Commanders aren't willing to go that high, citing his age and the decline of receivers who've signed big contracts at 30 or older.

Both sides still want to get a deal done, and McLaurin is under contract for 2025. Even if Washington and McLaurin come to terms on a new deal, a receiver will be a priority in the 2026 NFL draft. During his time as assistant GM in San Francisco, the 49ers spent two first-round picks on a wide receiver. They also used a second-round pick on current Commander, Deebo Samuel, who is also a free agent at season's end. In an early 2026 mock draft for ESPN, Field Yates has the Commanders picking a wide receiver in the first round: Alabama star Germie Bernard. There are still seven games remaining for the Washington Commanders in 2025.

But with the season spiraling into irrelevancy when much more was expected, some sections of the fan base are already looking ahead to what promises to be a pivotal offseason for general manager Adam... The front-office leader has a significant amount of hard work ahead. Washington has roster holes everywhere you look. Peters' gamble to run it back with most of the squad that achieved so much in 2024 has backfired. A disastrous run of luck on the injury front hasn't helped, but it's clear that this squad, as presently constructed, isn't capable of reaching the heights fans anticipated. Peters could have over $100 million to spend in free agency, and he'd be wise to use every cent before Year 3 of quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract.

The Commanders stood pat at the 2025 trade deadline, which was surprising to most, leaving Peters with only six selections in next year's draft to utilize. Not exactly ideal, but the former San Francisco 49ers executive will have to make the best out of a bad situation. Using the Pro Football Network simulator, we took a look at how the Commanders could approach their selections in our latest seven-round 2026 NFL mock draft. It's no secret that the Washington Commanders need to get more explosive on the defensive edge. Only Dorance Armstrong Jr. is guaranteed to be back next season, but even the ascending defensive end is in the final year of his deal in 2026.

There's a misconception floating around about the 2026 NFL Draft. Before this college season kicked off, Texas' Arch Manning, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier were widely viewed as the top eligible quarterback prospects. Those three haven't quite met the early expectations, which has some people jumping to the conclusion that this is a "weak" QB class. In reality, the rise of Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (my QB1 back in May), Alabama's Ty Simpson and Oregon's Dante Moore has reshaped the board. All three still have remaining eligibility and could theoretically return to school in 2026, but in today's thought exercise, they come off the board quickly -- just not at No. 1 overall.

Four teams enter the first round with multiple picks, while just as many have none. The Browns and Rams dealt away theirs in separate draft-day moves a year ago, and the Jets and Cowboys moved on from Quinnen Williams and Micah Parsons, respectively. To set the stage, here are the current odds to be the No. 1 overall pick (via FanDuel Sportsbook). Reminder: This is the current NFL draft order after Week 10 (via Tankathon). In the ever-evolving landscape of the NFL, the Washington Commanders are positioning themselves for a significant shift in their roster.

As the 2026 NFL draft approaches, all eyes are on the Commanders, particularly regarding their need for a top-tier wide receiver. With ongoing contract negotiations between the team and their current star, Terry McLaurin, the urgency to secure fresh talent is palpable. This article explores the implications of McLaurin's situation, the Commanders' draft strategy, and the potential addition of Alabama standout Germie Bernard. The Contract Standoff: McLaurin's Future in Question Terry McLaurin's contract negotiations with the Commanders have reached a critical juncture. Despite efforts to bring him back to the practice field, discussions about his new contract remain stagnant.

At 30, McLaurin aspires to join the ranks of the NFL's highest-paid receivers, a position that echoes the lucrative deal recently inked by DK Metcalf with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, the Commanders are hesitant, citing concerns about McLaurin's age and the historical decline of wide receivers who sign substantial contracts at 30 or older. Despite the friction, both parties are interested in reaching an agreement, especially since McLaurin is still under contract until 2025. Yet, even if a deal is struck, the Commanders will still prioritize enhancing their receiving corps in the upcoming draft. Historical Precedents: Investing in Wide Receivers The Washington Commanders and their fans are gearing up for their most anticipated season to date after taking the NFL world by storm a season ago by making it to the NFC Championship game...

Washington retooled their roster this offseason, nabbing key players on both sides of the ball through trades, free agency, and the NFL Draft in an attempt to strengthen their team to compete with their... The Commanders' draft might not have been all that jaw-dropping, but they added solid pieces depth-wise, with some having starting potential now or down the road in Josh Conerly Jr., Trey Amos, and Jaylin... Fans will be paying close attention to their rookies once training camp rolls around in mid-July, but it is never too early to look at how the Commanders will finish this season, and when... According to ESPN draft expert Matt Miller, the Commanders will, unfortunately, fall short of their dreams of winning the Super Bowl. Miller has Washington exiting the playoffs in the divisional round and entering the 2026 NFL Draft with the 25th overall pick, in which he believes they will bolster their secondary, taking promising young cornerback... Harris out of Penn State.

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters has his hands full this offseason. One year after the Commanders went 12-5 in Peters's first year as GM, they sit at 3-7 heading into Week 11 and look like they'll be picking inside the top 10 of the 2026... Washington needs it. There are several holes on the roster that must be addressed. And the Commanders are already without second and fourth-round picks due to the Laremy Tunsil trade. The two most glaring needs for 2026 look like edge rusher and wide receiver.

Depending on how this season concludes, the Commanders could have their pick between a top pass rusher and receiver. In a new mock draft from Josh Edwards of CBS Sports, the Commanders land arguably the top player in next year's draft at No. 8 overall: Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. Washington needs pass-rush help, and Rueben Bain fits the powerful profile Dan Quinn tends to favor. The Commanders did well to add veteran talent that could accelerate their timeline, but they got a bit too aggressive last offseason and over-leveraged their future. Now it's time to start replacing some of those veterans The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Bain is currently ranked as Edwards' top-ranked prospect for 2026.

However, three quarterbacks helped push Bain to Washington at No. 8 in this mock. In 31 career games at Miami, Bain has 98 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. Many believe Bain's best football is ahead of him and the chance to work with a coach like Dan Quinn could unlock his vast potential. The Washington Commanders are trending down after four straight losses, but that means the team is moving up in the NFL Draft order. The Commanders were striving to be in the 20s or 30s for the first round of the draft, but the team could be in the top 10 if their record continues to deteriorate.

That could put them in position to take Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. "Bain Jr. is an explosive, violent edge rusher with rare power and bend, capable of turning the corner from wide alignments and overwhelming tackles with speed-to-power," CBS Sports contributor Ryan Wilson wrote. "He wins with a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves -- from bull rushes to inside counters -- and plays with exceptional contact balance and hand usage to shed blocks both as a rusher and... When is it too early to start talking about next year's NFL Draft? The answer, from a writer's standpoint, is never.

It's the middle of July. Free agency has all but come to a standstill, and offseason workouts are now complete until training camp. Let's face it, there's not much happening in the NFL world, so we might as well look ahead. The Washington Commanders will have high expectations in 2025 after their surprise run to the NFC Championship, meaning that ideally they'll be selecting near the end of the first round of the 2026 NFL... One name has already emerged as an early option. This week, Brent Sobleski from The Bleacher Report put together a mock draft and also examined some of the top high school prospects who could take college football by storm.

This is a slightly different concept from most ordinary mocks, as it frames the draft as if it were the MLB or NHL formats, where teams are incentivized to take long-term swings on players... Nevertheless, the projected pick for the Commanders with the No. 27 overall pick is a player who will be eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and should be one of the top players at his position in the class. That would be Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, described by Sobleski as "A natural separator with the ability to create after the catch." The first 10 weeks of the 2025 NFL season have passed, with a clear tier of playoff contenders and Super Bowl hopefuls emerging while other franchises are beginning preparations for the 2026 NFL Draft. While this year’s class doesn’t have any household names, some of the best college football players this season have seen their draft stock soar int he last two months.

Let’s dive into our latest 2026 NFL mock draft, deliverign Round 1 projections and analysis for each pick heading into Sunday’s Week 11 slate. It’s certainly a bad look for the Tennessee Titans to have the first overall pick in the NFL Draft in consecutive years, but it’s not Cam Ward’s fault. While he needs a lot more help on the offensive side of the ball, the 2026 NFL Draft is defense-heavy at the top. Rueben Bain Jr. would provide desperately-needed help to a Titans defense that has very little in the front seven outside of Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat. Bain offers the upside to become a perennial Pro Bowl edge rusher, and he’d pair with Simmons and Sweat perfectly.

It is certainly popular in consensus 2026 NFL mock drafts to have the New Orleans Saints taking a quarterback. However, this feels like a multi-year rebuild for New Orleans and the roster isn’t necessarily in place to take a quarterback prospect who is very good but not great. Instead, the Saints add a potential All-Pro safety in Caleb Downs. He’s a do-it-all safety who can impact a defense like Kyle Hamilton has in Baltimore. New Orleans can keep filling out the supporting cast and then take its next franchise QB in 2027. Jaxson Dart has demonstrated more than enough this season to prove the New York Giants need to build around him.

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